I've been trying to find somewhere online that will teach me how vacuum systems work on cars in general. My 86 elky has been hatcheted up pretty bad by mechanics that didn't really know what they're doing. I currently have an edelbrock 550 carb on it. The motor is from a mid 70's truck and soon to be replaced. In the meantime my dad has an 86 elky thats all original. He had a bad 3 way vacuum check valve and that made his windshield washer fluid not work as well as high on his a/c system. I'm having the same problem so went looking to see if I had the same problem. Well I do in a way except mine is missing. The problem is where it is supposed to connect in is connected to a different place altogether. That line goes into what appears to be a vacuum canister mounted near the a/c system. My fathers 86 doesn't even have that. So was an 86 elky even supposed to have one? I've bought all the parts to recreate this but am scared to do so without knowing how vacuum systems work. IE. what needs to go where and how it works. Oh and also Its a vacuum advance distributor rather than electronic. I know thats not original. So any links that anyone has to websites teaching about vacuum or possibly a diagram showing what the 86 is supposed to have would be appreciated. I do have a haines manual for the car but being that its vague for several years of cars it doesn't show what I'm looking for.

Thank you,
JB

And is this a vacuum resevoir or something else?
http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/ae209/jerryballetti/canister.jpg link to pic on photobucket

Hi JB!
I also have an 86 in the garage. The best thing that you can do (and I preach this like crazy) is to go on eBay or wherever and buy a real GM Factory Service Manual for the El Camino. It will guide you through vacuum with diagrams, electrical with a nice Electrical Supplement showing locations and functions, and a host of other things. The factory set is a 2 parter.....Service and Electrical (and a supplement....small booklet). I have seen them new at $120 and used for $30....and in between.
To answer your question about the vacuum canister....mine is on the driver's side fenderwell.....down near the radiator....sort of by the steering gearbox. Perhaps yours was originally equipped with a 6 cylinder and it was mounted differently than a V8. My 1980 El Camino had the ball where yours is now.....that's all I can guess at. I will look in my manual and see where the V6 mounted the ball.
Craig

Thank you very much for all of the suggestions. I'm going to start looking for one of those real shop manuals with the extra diagrams. I found the part on elcaminostore and its called an El Camino Air Conditioning Vacuum Control Pod. So is that a slightly different name for a vacuum canister? Also where does your vacuum canister plug into the motor. Mine is plugged in where this check valve is supposed to go. I'm going to track where my dad's is plugged in tomorrow and see what happens if I switch it to the same spot.

thanks again Craig
JB

That would be the famous....Vacuum Canister all right. I looked in my manuals and it appears in only one shot....the A/C vacuum line routing line drawing in the same place that yours is at. Now that one drawing covers...Caprice...El Camino....Monte Carlo and both V8 and V6 engines.....and the vacuum routing diagram shows hose routing but is not accurate for precise placement of some things...just the routing of what going where. If I remember correctly....which is always in doubt....my vac ball's line runs to the firewall under the power brake booster. At that point it turns toward the engine and hits a T. One line from the T is a black hard plastic vac line that goes through the firewall to the air control panel in your dash. The other leg of the T goes to a check valve and then a fitting on the back of the intake manifold where it receives engine vacuum. The ball just stores vac for low vac conditions so that you can still operate your air control panel.
Craig